Stories from Friday, October 8, 2004

Roughriders prevail CAMBRIDGE -- The Southwest volleyball team won a five-set battle at Cambridge on Thursday. Cambridge won the first two sets 27-25, 25-20. Southwest came back to win the next three sets 25-18, 25-19, 17-15. Brittany McConville had 13 points serving for Southwest. Michala Foster added 11 points serving for the Roughriders...

When Nebraska lawmakers meet in January, we hope that one of the main things they do is come up with more effective ways to halt the manufacture and sale of methamphetamines. "Meth is a terrible problem," says Red Willow County Sheriff Gene Mahon. "It has reached epidemic proportions." Sheriff Mahon knows because there is a serious problem right here in Red Will0w County, as well as others parts of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. ...

Ten items or less n Now the scientists are not sure when Mount St. Helen is going to erupt or even if she will blow her top this time around. She could keep puttering around with these little steam blasts and minor earthquakes for awhile, which in the end is good for Nebraska...

Sun pours through the trees in Southwest Nebraska, with fewer and fewer leaves to slow its path. Residents have been treated to fair weather and welcome rain this week, with more expected for the weekend.

Sept. 27, 1909-Oct. 6, 2004 LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Anna M. Patterson, 95, died Wednesday (Oct. 6, 2004) at Lakeview Manor in Lawrence, Kan. She was born Sept. 27, 1909, to Frank and Mary (Klasiner) Eiznhamer in Chicago, Ill. She married Thomas R. Patterson. The couple divorced in 1954. He preceded her in death in 1976...

Jan. 27, 1924-Oct. 6, 2004 SCOTTSBLUFF -- Donald Francis Colling Sr., 80, died Wednesday (Oct. 6, 2004) at Beverly Health Care in Scottsbluff. He was born January 27, 1924, to Louis and Susie (O'Dea) Colling in McCook. He graduated from Red Willow Schools...

Nov. 25, 1916-Oct. 7, 2004 INDIANOLA -- Elizabeth "Betty" Deffer Krous, 87, of Indianola died Thursday (Oct. 7, 2004) at Bryan LGH East Hospital in Lincoln. She was born Nov. 25, 1916 in Indianola to Frank and Hazel (Phillips) Deffer. She graduated valedictorian from Indianola High School in 1933, from McCook Junior College in 1935 and attended classes at the University of Nebraska...

Oct. 2, 1920-Oct. 7, 2004 Albert G. Harder, 84, died Oct. 7, 2004 at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born Oct. 2, 1920, in Denver, Colo., to George J. and Emma (Honstien) Harder. He attended several schools in Colorado and Nebraska. He graduated from Oxford High School in 1938 and attended Grand Island School of Business. He was employed by the CB&Q Railroad and Burlington Northern Railroad for almost 47 years. He retired as a conductor in August of 1985...

April 23, 1926-Oct. 6, 2004 ECKERTY, Ind. -- Herbert Newton, 78, died Wednesday (Oct. 6, 2004) as an result of an auto accident. He was born April 23, 1926, to Scott and Sophia (Jones) Newton in Crawford County, Ind. On Oct. 17, 1946, he married Betty Jean Esch at St. John's Lutheran Church southeast of McCook. They farmed until 1970, when they moved to Eckerty, Ind., where they spent the remainder of their lives...

Jamie Lee Harris and Daniel Austin Stitt were united in marriage June 26, 2004, at McCook Christian Church with the Rev. Clark Bates officiating. Parents of the couple are Gary and Karla Harris of McCook and Marilyn and Dick Stitt of McCook. Grandmother of the bride is Jane Hester of McCook...

Karen Jean Hock and Luke Robert Bortner were united in marriage June 19, 2004, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in McCook with the Rev. Paul Colling of Lexington, uncle of the bride, officiating and the Rev. Gary Brethour, pastor of St. Patrick's, assisting...

OMAHA --  Traci Ralston and Dan Gudenrath, both of Omaha, were united in marriage June 19, 2004, at St. Wenceslaus Church in Omaha with the Rev. Mike Keating officiating. Parents of the couple are Ken and Kathy Ralston of McCook and Fred and Jeanine Gudenrath of Omaha...

Valerie Matson and James Loghry were united in marriage July 17, 2004, at Evangelical Free Church in McCook with the Rev. Bruce Lester officiating. Parents of the couple are Gary and Kathy Matson of Trenton and Robert and Mary Loghry of McCook. Grandparents of the couple are Marvin and Ruth Klooz of McCook, Joe and Thelma Matson of Trenton, Irene Loghry of McCook and the late Lloyd Loghry and the late Lloyd and Idell Crall...

LINCOLN -- Lissa J. Chopp of Lincoln and Nathan W. Fellers of McCook were united in marriage July 3, 2004, at Christ Lutheran Church in Lincoln. Parents of the couple are Joan and Larry Chopp of Lincoln and Ted and Candy Fellers of McCook. Grandparents are Gladys and Roland Badberg, Mary Chopp and Elaine and Ralph Stevens...

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Dusty Bargen and Brian Stevens, both of Iowa City, Iowa, were united in marriage Aug. 31, 2004, in Las Vegas, Nev. Parents of the couple are Lonnie and Carmen Bargen of Superior and Jerry and Deanna Stevens of Holbrook. The couple's parents also attended the ceremony...

Kristi Fortin of Oberlin and Brandon Dirks of Atwood announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Jerry and Jolene Fortin of Oberlin, Linda Dirks of Atwood and Dan Dirks of Yellowstone, Wyo. The bride-to-be is a teacher at God's Little Saint's preschool in Atwood. The prospective bridegroom is a farmer/rancher. The couple is planning a Nov. 6, 2004, ceremony at the Methodist church in Oberlin...

Margie Swanda of the Red Willow County Health Department has announced that, due to the unavailability of vaccine, the department will not schedule any influenza vaccination clinics for this year's flu season. "We ordered our vaccine from Chiron Corp.," explained Swanda...

New CDC influenza vaccination recommendations will be followed at Community Hospital's rural health clinics in Curtis and Trenton, due to a vaccine shortage, said Karen Kliment, Community Hospital Outpatient Clinic Manager. With the vaccine shortage which was recently an-nounced, influenza vaccines will be limited at Curtis Medical Center and Trenton Medical Clinic to the following priority groups:...

For 80 years -- dating all the way back to July 1, 1924 -- newspaper carriers have fulfilled an important role in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas. Starting on the first day of daily publication for the McCook Daily Gazette, the carriers have delivered papers to the homes of subscribers stretching from Haigler on the west to Arapahoe on the east, and from Oberlin on the south to Curtis on the north...

I have always been skeptical of fads of any kind. By their very nature, they tend to be temporary, unpredictable, spurious, shallow, and undependable. Fads come and go. Most people remember the hula hoop, pet rocks, Nehru jackets, leisure suits, fly away collars, the bee-hive hair style and "groovy, man, groovy." Most fads are relatively harmless. ...

NELIGH -- Rae Ann Miller and Sean Conroy were united in marriage July 3, 2004, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Neligh with the Rev. Steve Immanuel officiating. Parents of the couple are James and Laurel Miller of Neligh and Steve and Sharon Conroy of Indianola...